If your like me who still uses an Analog miniDV to capture videos on special events, since early 2008 the MacBook Pro now uses a Firewire 800 and went away with the Firewire 400. You would need special cable or adapter to get the job done.
The last MacBook Pro I used which was issued to me when I was working for the local government was an older model around (2007) not the new unibody. Port available to me back then was the Firewire 400. The cable I used was a 4pin to 6 pin to convert my analog miniDV to digital.
Here is my Sony HC 32 cradle for my analog miniDV where I hook up the 4 pin to the second slot marked DV.
So you can either get an adapter that converts Firewire 400 to Firewire 800.
Or get a 4pin to 9 pin Firewire cable.
I got the 4pin to 9pin cable which cost P900( around $21-$22) in a store I found in SM Megamall.
Now I started to convert all those analog miniDVs I have collected and planning to get a digital camcorder in the future or a point and shoot camera that shoots HD videos.
Hi, found your blog very helpful, I got a jvc mini-dv camcorder and I still have to avail mini-dv to dvd transfer service which is very expensive, I would like to ask in what store did you bought your 4pin to 9 pin firewire cable in sm megamall, because it’s quite hard to find here in the philippines…
Thank You! 🙂
im glad it helped you out, sorry but i cant recall the name of the store but its in the cyberzone area in sm megamall they have different kinds of cables for the mac.
Thanks again, i’ll just try to find it.
Hey there,
I have a Panasonic NV-GS500 camcorder, and just purchased this cable.
http://www.sandberg.it/product/FireWire-Universal-Cable-Kit
When i connect my camcorder it doesnt register on my Macbook Pro at all. Its a Macbook Pro 10.6.8.
Any idea how come it doesnt show up at all? I use Adobe Premiere, but tried iMovie as well.
I need to get my raw footage from my min-dv tapes onto the Mac for editing.
Is 4,6, or 9 pin Firewire relevant?
Thanks.
Hi! May I know where you bought the adapter that converts Firewire 400 to Firewire 800? Thanks!
Its a minidv to firewire 800 adapter.